The halls are filled with lighter colors, flowing materials and fresh spring tans as the weather grows warmer, but with all of this, students need to remember the dress code. The school dress code is in place to ensure that students are appropriately covered and that their clothing does not distract others. However, a number of students still break the rules, many doing so unwittingly.

An e-mail sent out to parents at the beginning of the spring season stated that shorts should be at most five inches above the knee, while school agendas purchased in the beginning of the year state, "We expect that, except for the arms, students will ‘Cover their skin from their knees to their chin.’ Skirts and shorts should be at least fingertip length at all times."

The school handbook says that clothing should not disrupt classroom operation, draw unnecessary attention, or show skin in a sexually suggestive way, but does not state a specific length requirement for clothing

Assistant Principal Wanda Bibb clarified that the rule was never changed, but defined. "The rule was too vague. Fingertip and arm length can vary in students. We decided that it was necessary to make it more specific," she said.

Before choosing five inches, Bibb and senior teacher Bettiann Aylor looked into other schools’ rules on shorts. In some schools, shorts were required to be four inches above the knee, but Bibb and Aylor decided that wasn’t as reasonable and settled on five inches.

Many students feel that the five inch rule is somewhat strict due to the fact that everybody has a different body build. Some shorts would meet the "index card" requirement on certain students but would be deemed inappropriate on others. "It’s really hard to find appropriate jean shorts that look good and fit well on people with long legs. I think five inches is different on people with shorter or longer legs so it’s a little bit unfair at times," junior Anna Gordon said.

Gordon recently experienced the consequences of dress code violation firsthand.

"I was walking down the hall and I had on cutoff jean shorts that were fingertip length exactly and a button down shirt. An administrator pulled me aside and talked to me about my shorts," she said. "A letter was sent home to my parents as a consequence."

Gordon was let off with a warning, but remains wary of wearing shorts to school.

Financially, purchasing new, administration-approved shorts is not plausible for many families.

"No one has the money to buy a whole new wardrobe for school when [the rule] is changed," sophomore Halee Winston said.

Additionally, parents are often involved in both purchasing and monitoring what their children wear.

"If my parents don’t have a problem with my shorts, teachers shouldn’t either," sophomore Mallory Moore said.

Regardless of general consent, teachers have been asked to help enforce the rule. English teacher Frannie McMillan is implementing it to full effect. "We aren’t just doing it for fun. It is part of our job to enforce the rules of the school, whether it’s stopping a kid for vandalizing property or pulling a student aside for inappropriate clothing," McMillan said.

McMillan informed all of her students of the school’s expectations directly after the announcement was made. When a student wears shorts that are too short, she is obligated to give a warning. After the second time, McMillan reports it.

"I don’t try to be nasty about it. I do everything I can to avoid embarrassing the student," she said. Her intent is to make the situation as private as possible.

The consequences for students wearing shorts that are too short begin with a warning. The student’s name is recorded and a parent is notified. A second offense results in a change in clothing; a parent can be called to bring clothes to school, or the student must change into gym shorts.

"99.9 percent of students are very cooperative about the things we are asking. I understand what it’s like. When I was younger, I hated when my mother told me I couldn’t wear something. We just have to do something now so the shorts don’t get shorter and shorter," Bibb said.

For now, the dress code rule is here to stay. Wearing inappropriate clothing to school will result in consequences.